Metro Pulse/Urban Renewal

1200 Kenyon Avenue
4 bdrm, 3 bath
4,200 sq. ft.
$220,000
Contact: Victoria Krebs at 673-5099 or (800) 433-4536, access code 34, or go here for info on the house, complete with photos

Comment
on this story

by Matt Edens

I'm sure most of you are by now aware of the controversy swirling around the board of Cherokee Country Club's plan to demolish the J. Allen Smith house on Lyon's View Pike. That alone—paying a million bucks to tear down one of the most magnificent houses ever built in Knoxville for the sake of a putting green and a little parking—is certainly worthy of scorn and derision. But the farsighted pharisees who run the club weren't content to stop there. Fearing they might be thwarted, they turned to Nashville and hired a lobbyist. And now, thanks to the Cherokee board's "leadership," there's a bill in the Legislature that could hamstring historic preservation efforts statewide, allowing property owners to voluntarily "opt out" of the zoning restrictions and design guidelines of historic districts. (Optional zoning? Kind of like having "optional laws," isn't it?)

If that weren't enough, we have State Sen. Tim Burchett regurgitating soundbites spoonfed by the club's lobbyist about "people being drug into court for changing the color of their shutters." First of all, that's not true; but adding insult to injury is the fact that Mr. Burchett's district includes nearly all of Knoxville's Historic Overlay and Conservation Districts. Too bad Senator Burchett didn't consult with one of his many constituents before opening his mouth. If he had, he would have learned that nowhere in Knoxville or Knox County does any historic or conservation district regulate something as trivial as paint color. If you're looking for draconian "paint police," check out the deed restrictions and restrictive covenants in new subdivisions all across suburban Knox County.

And as I sit down to write this, the Greater Knoxville Board of Realtors has apparently called an emergency meeting, orchestrated by the country club, to consider endorsing the club's pending legislation in Nashville. Which, if you think about it, is patently ridiculous. The club board, in their selfish arrogance and ignorance, are asking the Realtors to essentially shoot themselves in the foot.

Why "shoot themselves in the foot?" Because historic preservation and historic zoning are two of the best things going for the real estate industry—particularly in reviving stagnant markets. First, consider the example of Fourth and Gill. You may recall from Jesse Mayshark's North Knoxville article [Cover story, April 18] that around 25 years ago city government had written off Fourth and Gill as a dilapidated slum "too far gone to save." Well, in the past year, five houses in the neighborhood have sold for over $200,000. One of them was the first house I ever featured in this column—a magnificent 3,000-square-foot Victorian. Nine years ago it sold for around $100K. Which, by the way, is what somebody in Fourth and Gill just paid for a two-bedroom bungalow half that size, and overlooking I-40 to boot.

And if you think property values doubling in less than a decade sounds spectacular, Old North Knoxville's done even better, closer to 200 percent. Heck, even in my own neighborhood of Parkridge, some friends just sold their Victorian for $130,000—cheap for Fourth and Gill, but not too shabby for an address four blocks off Magnolia. Such is the power of preservation. And protective preservation zoning is one reason why this immense bungalow in Old North is worth more than $200K. Don't get me wrong—there are plenty of other reasons: With its original Arts and Crafts woodwork in lustrous oak and heart pine, fireplaces with rich earth-toned tile, ceiling beams and period lights plus an original built-in china cabinet worthy of Gustav Stickley, it's certainly one of the finest bungalows in town. And every-thing's been lovingly restored and totally updated—heat and air, electrical, even a garage door opener.

So go ahead, buy this house. And rest assured that, since it's in Old North's H-1 Overlay, you won't have to worry about some bunch of knuckleheads tearing down the house across the street to put in a putting green. Oh, and feel free to paint it any color you want.